Month: May 2014

“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” Maya Angelou
This has been my favorite saying when it comes to refining and improving business cultures.  I am constantly in debate with amazing leaders who live the values that they espouse. However, the blind spot many of them have is that they always think they can “fix” people who don’t fit the culture, or display the values of the organization. These people are often productive and have talent, but they just don’t fit.
On the other hand, the people who are the heart and soul of these organizations, and the real leaders, are not given the attention they deserve because we are trying to fix the C players.
Returning to Maya’s saying, when someone shows you who they are, believe them. My belief is, it’s probably not going to change.
A great lady passed this week, but I will not forget her messages or legacy.
Weekly Wisdom by Jerry Rollins, CEO and Chairman of Sage Executive Group

The Urban Corps of San Diego has named Jerry Rollins, CEO and Chairman of Sage Executive Group, to the Honorary Committee for its 25th anniversary celebration.

In thinking about my weekly message, I of course had to say something about Memorial Day. I did not know when it was established, so I went to Wiki. Here is the short form description.
Memorial Day: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. “Memorial Day is a U.S. federal holiday wherein the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces are remembered. The holiday, which is celebrated every year on the final Monday or May, was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union  and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service. It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.”
I want us all to remember the people who served our country and sacrificed everything. What I would also ask you to consider is, what are you doing in your companies to hire the amazing and talented vets who are lucky enough to return?
Weekly Wisdom by Jerry Rollins, CEO and Chairman of Sage Executive Group
 
 

“Unity is strength….When there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” Mattie Stepanek
Sometimes it takes a challenging situation to let us know what is really important in life. Last week’s fires caused tremendous chaos in our San Diego communities and also allowed us to see some positive examples of people working together. As many of us were being evacuated, there seemed to be a common theme about what we took with us. After people and pets, the other things seemed to pale in comparison. What I was impressed with was the amazing teamwork displayed by our police, fire agencies, and the military. They worked in unison under very trying conditions and although homes were lost, more amazing was the number of homes and lives they saved. As we get back to normal this week, I want to make sure we all take some time to recognize these fearless and tireless heroes.
Weekly Wisdom by Jerry Rollins, Chairman and CEO of Sage Executive Group

Read what Tom York, Business Insider columnist for the San Diego Business Journal, had to say about the expansion of the CEO peer advisory organization on Monday, May 12:
Encinitas-based Sage Executive Group’s Brian Yui expects his startup to more than double in size in this year, especially now that it is expanding its membership to include chief financial officers and other C-level executives. Members of the for-profit firm, all chief executives in the region, said they find the peer advisory meetings so valuable that Sage decided to broaden the program to include other key executives in the collaborative process of problem solving. The 2-year-old organization has signed on some pretty impressive CEOs, including Steve Wagner, who is co-founder of Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido.

You are getting this update with Mother’s Day still fresh in our minds. Unless you live in a cave,  you probably heard Kevin Durant’s acceptance speech last week when named the NBA’s MVP. He gave an impassioned testimony to his Mother for her support and the lessons she taught him and his family. Kevin is a humble man and great example for young men everywhere.
It caused me to reflect on my accomplishments in life and what positive attributes I learned from my Mother. First, I learned about dealing with what seemed like insurmountable challenges and coming back strong. After going through a divorce in her middle-age years, my Mom got an entry level job, went to school at night and had a successful 25-year career with one company, retiring in a senior leadership role. She did this while providing for my brother and myself, and although we were not wealthy, we never wanted for anything that we needed.  Secondly, I also learned about hard work. She got up at the crack of dawn and made breakfast, got us ready for school, drove 45 minutes to work and followed that up with classes three nights per week. Each evening she would prepare the next evening’s dinner and show me how to prepare it for my brother and myself. She never missed a day of work and was a loyal and hard-working employee. My final lesson was learning to deal with challenges and failures while remaining calm and maintaining a positive attitude.
While I am not as famous or successful as Kevin Durant, nor on a national stage, this is my public thank you to a great Mom!
What did you learn from yours?
Weekly Wisdom by Jerry Rollins, CEO/Chairman of Sage Executive Group

I read an article in Inc. Magazine yesterday that addressed the cognitive overload being imposed on the lives of C Level executives by communication technologies. It referred to e-mail as the greatest culprit, so overwhelming that it has taken away from the time that used to be dedicated to thinking and creating in an uninterrupted environment.
Thinking back to when life was simpler, prior to my first cell phone, the only way people could communicate in business was via hard-wired phone, written letter or fax. You could actually get in your car or go home and use that time to be creative. Those three technologies seem to have lived their useful lives, only to be replaced by even more insidious inventions.
To see how I spend my time, I started checking at 7 a.m. to chronicle what interrupts my well-planned days. E-mails were stacked in my inbox from the night before. I had thee LinkedIn requests, three Facebook requests, two more people following on Twitter and had to update my blog and return 11 phone calls and 13 text messages to round out the morning.
My question for you today is, when do shut down and think? And which communication tools will be gone in this decade?
By the way, I am sending this message, parked in my car thinking, via the WiFi that is installed in my car. What will they think of next?
Weekly Wisdom by Jerry Rollins, CEO of Sage Executive Group, San Diego-based coaching and peer advisory organization for high-level business executives.
 
 
 

Sage Executive Group, started just two years ago as a CEO peer organization, is spreading its roots to strengthen the leadership skills of finance and operating officers and other top-level executives. The announcement was made in a Sage Press Release to the media across the San Diego region and Southern California.
Here is what Sage has to say:

Sage Executive Group Expanding to Include CFOs, Other C-Level Executives

CEO peer advisory organization Sage Executive Group is adding membership options for finance, operating and other C-Level executives to join its collaborative program of coaching and problem-solving for key decision makers.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) May 01, 2014
Fast-growing peer advisory start up Sage Executive Group, which expects to more than double in size in 2014, is now expanding its membership options to include CFOs and other C-level executives.
Sage members, all chief executives of fast-growing private companies in the region, said they find the peer advisory meetings so valuable that they want to broaden the program to include other key executives in the collaborative process of problem-solving.
The new groups will be added later this year, and will be announced at that time.
Under the Sage process, the CEOs meet in groups of 12 with a coach, who serves as chairman and guides CEOs through discussions that relate directly to their businesses.
The coachs are chosen because they have been successful CEOs in the past and bring their experience and expertise to the conference table. In addition, speakers with backgrounds in business offer real-world insights and valuable hands-on advice.
The 2-year-old, San Diego-based organization has emerged as a formidable competitor to similar groups in the region. The number of CEO members is expected to double by year-end 2014, along with the addition of finance, operating and marketing executives.
The median annual sales figure for a Sage member is $22 million, which is higher than competing organizations, so the membership is much more selective.
Members praise the sage process for helping to transform their business operations.

• Steve Wagner, President and co-founder of Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido, said, “I’m a very hands-on business owner and I really like to be involved in everything. It forces me to look back at my business and think about it and what I’m doing in my life, the people I work with and what kind of satisfaction I get.”
• Greg Wells, CEO of Corporate Alliance in La Jolla Towne Centre, said, “You have a safe and trusted environment to process your issues, bring your assumptions and questions about your business and have these other CEOs focus totally on exploring and identifying your issues, challenges and opportunities. Sage helps you develop plans and strategies, and then you leave the meeting to go execute the growth that you are looking for.”
• Jennifer Miller, regional president and partner of ACCESS Destination Services in San Diego, said, “It’s been invaluable because I get advice from other local business leaders who are outside my industry. I learn how they handle their businesses and have an opportunity to see how different business leaders interact with their teams and make day-to-day decisions to push their businesses forward.”

About Sage Executive Consulting
Sage Executive Group establishes and operates peer advisory groups for CEOs, presidents, partners and founders of privately held businesses. The Sage process has been developed by leaders who have over 45 years of collective experience with CEO peer advisory groups. As a result, Sage knows what it takes to put together an effective and value-driven member experience. For more information, contact Sage at (800) 648-1063, or go to the Contact Us page at https://www.sageexecutivegroup.com.
Contact: Tom York,
Tom York Public Relations
Email: tom(at)yorkpr(dot)com
Phone: 858-775-4603